Gujarat
Vidyapith was founded by Mahatma Gandhi on 18th October,
1920. Gujarat Vidyapith is a deemed university since 1963.
Gujarat Vidyapith is funded by the U. G. C. (University
Grants Commission) for higher education programs. It was
started as Rashtriya Vidyapith (National Institute of University
Education) and was the wake of the Non-cooperative Movement.
Mahatma Gandhi remained its life-long Kulpati (Chancellor).
The Institute imparts higher education with an integrated
system of education teaching from the Nursery to the Doctorate
level. The main objective is to prepare workers of character,
ability, culture and dedication for the conduct of movements
connected with the regeneration of country in accordance
with the ideals given by Mahatma Gandhi. The guiding principles
on which the integrated system of education, from Nursery
& Basic Schools to Higher Secondary and from Bachelors to
Master, M. Phil. & Doctorate level degree in various disciplines,
is evolved include:-

Adherence to truth and non-violence

Participation in productive work with a sense of dignity of labour

Acceptance of equality of religions

Priority for the need of villages dwellers in all curricula and

Use of mother-tongue as a medium of instructions.

Accordingly, the education system of Gujarat Vidyapith include regular participation in community work, residential life, social service, community prayers, simple and self reliant living, study tours and field studies, Hand spinning and training in Craft Work.
The program of education has been linked with the national needs of rural uplift with a view to promote education conductive to the grass - root levels of the society.
The chief concern of the Gujarat Vidyapith is to conduct experiments in various fields of education with a view to develop the application of Gandhian thought and way in all aspects of education

Objective

The Principal objective of the Vidyapith shall be to prepare through education, workers with character, ability, culture and conscientiousness necessary for the conduct of the movements connected with the regeneration of the country in accordance with the ideals given by Mahatma Gandhi.

The teachers and trustees of the Vidyapith shall restrict themselves to those means only which are not inconsistent with truth and non-violence and shall consciously strive to carry them out.

The teachers and trustees of the Vidyapith, as also all the institutions connected with it, shall regard untouchability as a blot on Hinduism, and shall strive to the best of their ability for its removal, and shall not exclude a boy or a girl for reason of his or her untouchability nor shall give him or her discriminatory treatment having once accorded admission to him or her.

The teachers and trustees of all the institutions connected with the Vidyapith shall regard hand-spinning as an essential part of the national regeneration movement and shall therefore spin regularly, except for unavoidable reasons and shall habitually wear khadi.

The mother tongue shall have principal place in the Vidyapith and shall be medium of instruction for all education. Explanation : Language other than Gujarati may be taught by the direct method.

The teaching of Hindi-Hindustani shall be compulsory in the curricula of the Vidyapith.
Note : The Hindi-Hindustani means the language commonly spoken by the masses of the North, both, Hindu and Musalman, written in the Devnagari or the Persian script.

Vocational Training (Audyogic Shikshan) shall receive the same importance as intellectual education and only such occupations as are conducive to the nation shall be taught.

As the growth of the nation depends not on its cities but its villages, the bulk of the funds of the Vidyapith and large number of teachers shall be primarily employed in the propagation of national education (Rasthraposhak) in villages.

In laying down the priorities of education, the needs of the village-dwellers shall have principal consideration.

There shall be complete tolerance of all established religions in all institutions connected with the Vidyapith. For the spiritual development of the pupils, knowledge of religion shall be imparted in consonance with truth and non-violence.

For the development of a healthy nation, physical exercise and training in manual work shall be made compulsory in all the institutions connected with the Vidyapith.